Only You
by ElissaCousland
Summary: Flashbacks detailing how the Farron sisters fell in love. M for future smex. Farroncest. Yuri, femslash, Incest. ch.9 conclusion.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: The muse writes what it wants. I am merely it's instrument. This story contains Farroncest. That's Farron, Incest. just to clear that up. Rated for later chapters. was supposed to be just a kink, but I needed a lot more development to make the pairing "logical" to my senses. I'll try to put a note at the start of each chapter with approximate ages, but figure about two years between the girls. any more is just too "eww" for me. Too much like Light robbing the cradle.

-Only You-

Ch.1

Lightning stared at the shards of what was once her favorite vase. The edges of the stained, blown glass, glittered in the soft light of the incandescent bulb from the standing lamp, throwing rainbow shades across the plush cream carpet. A dent three feet above the mess, mere inches from where she now stood, indicated where it had landed, a vicious scar that marred the otherwise perfect off-white wall.

She stood, motionless. Her ears reverberated with the dying echoes of Serah's desperate scream.

_**I LOVE **__**YOU!**_

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Serah had never been the violent-tempered one. Ever_._ Lightning bent down and slowly began to gather the largest pieces into her left hand, carefully picking up each piece with her thumb and forefinger of her right hand, avoiding the edges so as not to cut herself.

Tension suffocated the room evaporating the air she tried to breathe into a thick, heavy fog laden with expectation she could feel as well as if it were a tangible thing. The older Farron stood and cleared her throat. She threw a quick glance to her sister.

Beautiful, large, blue eyes trembled with emotions she had dared to speak only once, moments ago. Tears wavered in her eyes, threatening to spill down her soft, smooth cheeks. She bit her lip, turned her head down and slightly away, a light pink flush on those same cheeks. Shame. She knew what she had said to Lightning. Was she regretting it now?

Lightning opened her mouth, her heart unable to see Serah like this anymore. She wanted nothing more at that moment than to walk over and hug her, kiss those tears away, but she knew for a fact, that was a _**bad **_idea.

She hadn't misheard Serah. Hadn't missed the inflection in her voice, the desperation behind the confession. They had always been attracted to each other, and out of decency they both ignored it, doing their best to pretend it didn't exist. Now it had finally been exposed. It could not be ignored any longer.

Lightning tried though. For the sake of her sister's future, she tried. After all, she'd been to Hell and back again for Serah, so Serah was getting married whether she wanted to or not.

"I love you, too, Serah," she said, her voice gone so soft Serah barely heard her. If she hadn't been looking to her sister for some sort of acknowledgement, she wouldn't have heard at all. Lightning cleared her throat again, pushing the thought away. She walked into the kitchen and pressed her foot onto the garbage disposal pedal. The machine popped out with a soft clunk and she dumped the broken glass into it, before slamming it shut with her hip and heading for the hall closet.

"That's why I said yes," she continued, a little louder so her voice would carry the distance. "…He's a good man…You have my blessings." She swallowed back the knot that tightened her throat, strangling her in its vice.

Serah's words haunted her. _That's just it, though. I don't __**want **__to marry him._

Her own stupid, stupid question. _Why?_

_I can't_, she had said in response. Simple. As if it explained everything.

_Serah, if you care for him, then you should marry him. He loves you, you know._

That was when the vase had shattered against the wall, faster than Lightning could see. She barely had time to duck out of the way. Serah had shouted in a voice louder than Lightning had ever heard from her.

_**Dammit, Claire! Stop pretending you don't know what I mean! I can't marry Snow, because**__**I LOVE **__**YOU!**_

Lightning's head dipped back, helplessly, as she cursed the Maker. Life without Serah, was like trying to breathe without air. Her heart clenched. Her own tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She bit back a bitter laugh that she didn't want Serah to hear, for fear she would misunderstand it. Her hand closed around the vacuum machine. Memories flooded forth from the back of her mind and the bottom of her heart, where she had kept them hidden away, under tight lock and key.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Ages are inconsequential here, but anyway Claire is ten, Serah eight.

-Only You-

Ch. 2

Two little pink-haired girls chased each other around the back yard. Daddy grilled hamburgers in his apron. Mom busied herself with helping him. Claire, always Daddy's little girl, ran to her father. She tugged on the hem of his apron, urgently. He smiled down at her, one strong hand reaching down to tousle her hair. "_Daddy!_" she complained, throwing a scowl to the younger girl, who merely giggled and clutched a ragged brown bear.

It was a hideous thing, tattered and worn. At some point in its ancient past, it may have been cute, but now it was nearly falling apart. The stitches had been reinforced with different colored thread in many places, in an attempt to prolong the inevitable, but the stuffing splayed out from between the threads. There was an empty spot where one eye should have been. The other eye hung limp from an inch of thread. But none of that mattered. What mattered was that the bear was _Claire's_.

"She's got _Mr. Cuddles_!" she squalled, pointing an accusatory finger at her sister. "And she won't _give him back!_"

Mrs. Farron glared down at _her husband's _spoiled _brat _of a daughter. Then she deferred to him, with a look that said, _You take care of this._

Mr. Farron pulled Claire aside and sat her on his knee. "Now, Claire…" he said, in that familiar you're-a-big-girl-now-so-stop-acting-like-a-baby tone, "don't you think you're a little too old for Mr. Cuddles? Why don't you let Serah have him, hm?"

Claire scowled. No, she didn't want to let Serah have Mr. Cuddles, but she knew it was what Daddy wanted, and above all, she wanted Daddy to know she was a big girl. "Fine!" she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

Daddy patted her head affectionately. "There's a good girl," he approved, "Now I want you to promise me something Lightning-Bug, okay?"

Claire was still mad about the bear, but she feigned interest in Daddy's speech. "My girls won't be little forever, will you?"

Claire cocked her head to the side, her lips pursed in thought. "No," she said after a moment's consideration. She knew Daddy was right. Time only moves forward.

Daddy looked right into her eyes, his face all serious, and deep down Claire knew his next words would be important ones. Words she would carry with her for the rest of her life, though at the moment she couldn't have known that much.

"Your mom and I may not always be there to take care of you, and if that happens, I want you to take care of your little sister. No matter what happens, nothing comes between you. Nothing. Okay?"

"Okay, Daddy."

Mr. Farron smiled and tousled her long pink hair. "Now you run along, lunch is almost ready."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Light-14, Serah-12.

-Only You-

ch. 3

Dizzy.

Hurt.

Smoke…

Fire…

Broken glass…

Serah…crying…

Serah…

Beep… Beep… Beep…

Claire Farron awoke in the hospital to the sound of her sister's muted sobs.

"S-s-erah…"

"Ah! No, Claire, don't get up!" Serah came rushing to her side. She took Claire's hand in both of her own, holding it firmly and giving a gentle squeeze.

"A-are…you…o-aah!-kay?"

Fuck! Breathing…hurts! Talking….hurts! She eased back down on the bed, with a defeated grunt. Even that small effort took much of her strength.

"Claire…" Serah cupped her face in her hand, still holding Claire's hand with the other. Tears spilled endlessly down her cheeks. Her eyes brimmed with fresh ones, though the puffy red lids told Claire she had been crying a long time.

"Serah…where's…Mom and-ahh!" Another sharp pain from her gut. "D-dad?"

"Claire…" Serah lowered herself and pressed her forehead to Claire's hand.

A doctor came into view. He looked down at the chart in his hands. Her chart. "Ah, Miss…Farron? How are you feeling?"

"Pfft. Like I've…ah!… been …hn!-in a… wreck," the haughty teen replied.

The doctor ignored her petulance, and continued with divulging information to her about her condition. "Well, you have three broken ribs and a punctured lung…but other than that, not a scratch. Luckily, your injuries are not life-threatening. You should be out of here in about a week."

"What about-ah!…Serah?…"

The doctor smiled. "She had a few minor cuts and bruises, but other than that, she's okay. Nothing's broken."

"Doctor?"

"Hn?" he looked up from whatever he was writing on her chart.

"Where…are my…par-ents…?" she asked, straining against the pain.

"Claire…" Serah's voice, a desperate plea. She buried her face in her sister's shoulder and broke into uncontrollable sobs.

"I-I'm sorry, Miss Farron…" she read the doctor's lips, but his words were drown out by Serah. The world surrounding the sisters faded away as their father's words came back to haunt Claire. The image of Mr. and Mrs. Farron's broken bodies lying amongst the wreckage flashed in her mind, then she saw Serah kneeling by them, crying, before she passed out.

_Take care of your little sister. No matter what happens, nothing comes between you. Nothing._

"Miss Farron? Miss Farron?" the doctor was standing closer to her bed now. She glanced up at him.

"If I could have a word with you…" his voice trailed off, but his eyes spared a glance for Serah.

"Alone" was what he meant to say. Claire sat up a little and nudged Serah. She looked up, wiping her eyes. "Could you…get me…a drink?" Claire asked. Serah nodded, there was a drink machine just down the hallway. She wandered off, reluctantly.

"Miss Farron…if you don't mind my asking… How old are you?"

"Wh-What?" Why would he ask her that?

The doctor flipped a few pages around, then he noticed the confusion on Claire's face. "Your sister was hysterical when the ambulance arrived on the scene. She couldn't tell us anything besides your and hers first and last names. We just need to be sure you're of age."

She frowned. Of age for what?

The doctor continued. "That you're not still a minor. In which case, we would have to call in Custody Services to prepare living arrangements for the both of you.

Her heart stopped. _Living arrangements_. He meant _adoption arrangements_. They would be separated. Sent to different homes.

Claire did the only thing she could.

"N-No!…ah!…I mean, that won't…be necessary. I'm…eighteen."

The doctor frowned, giving her a hard look. According to the bone development shown in her radiographs, she should still be in puberty. Claire summoned all the steel in her will, hoping for a look of reserved maturity.

After a moment, the doctor nodded, he decided to take her word for it.

Serah returned with a drink in her hand. She opened it and brought it to Claire's mouth, helping her. Her sister took a sip and thanked her and Serah set it down on the small bedside stand. "Tell me if you want more, kay?"

Claire nodded and laid back on the pillows.

"Well, alright, Miss Farron," the doctor said, " I'll get started on your paperwork. Do you have your insurance card with you?"

"I…uh…it-it all…happened so…fast…" she said carefully. Crap! She was going to be found out. She prayed silently that he wouldn't continue his train of thought.

"Do you know the number? Oh, never mind, we can check with your employer. Who do you work for?"

Fuck!

"I…uh…d-don't…have a job…right now…" she said a bit sheepishly.

The doctor nodded and smiled at them both, "Okay, well, I'll make arrangements with SanctumHealth. You'll have to be moved to another bed in a couple of days. Feel better, Miss Farron." With that, he turned on his heels and whistled as he walked away.

_SanctumHealth_. The public health division. Her room wouldn't be nearly as nice as this one while she was recovering. She'd rather be at home, taking care of Serah. The more she thought about it, the better that option was beginning to sound. She convinced herself that the hospital staff would soon discover her little lie, and she and Serah would be put up for adoption, separately, since they were both older children.

She grabbed Serah's hand that was playing with a strand of her hair. She squeezed it, looking sternly into her eyes. "Serah…I…need you to do…something…for me."

Serah nodded rapidly. "Anything."

"I need you to… go home."

"…" Ocean-blue eyes searched hers.

"I'll meet up…with you later…I promise."

OOOOOOO

It was late when Claire finally managed to stagger all the way home. She stumbled through the door and leaned, gasping for air, against the nearest wall. Serah jolted up from the couch, where she had been asleep. She ran to Claire's side and lifted the slightly taller girl, supporting her body with arm around her waist. She took hold of one arm and threw it around her shoulders, leading Claire to the bathroom.

Claire sat in the warm, clear water with her legs pulled up to her chest, head resting on her knees, while Serah knelt on the floor and poured the hot, relaxing liquid over Claire's back. They spoke in hushed whispers.

_We can't stay here. They'll come looking for us._

_What are we gonna do?_

_I'll think of something, don't worry._

Sorrow claimed the older Farron now, finally allowing for the release of her grief. Serah held her while she broke down, whispering to her that it would be okay. They still had each other.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Light-14, Serah- 12

-Only You-

Ch. 4

Claire's heart beat anxiously, adrenaline running through her veins. She sat in the neat little office waiting for the recruiter. She jumped involuntarily when the door opened. A tall, beautiful woman walked in, not much older than herself. She had long, sandy-blonde hair and wore small, wire-rimmed glasses. She was well-dressed in tight-fitting skirt and suit jacket, black high-heels, and a short red tie that ended between her cleavage. Both aroused and embarrassed, Claire tried not to stare at her too hard.

The woman walked around the desk to the other side and sat down in the high-backed wing chair. She held a document in her hands, presumably Claire's application. Claire twitched nervously in her seat. She'd already cashed in the last of Mom and Dad's credits to secure a new apartment for her and Serah. It had been two weeks since she ran away from the hospital. They were running short on Gil. She needed a job. NOW.

The woman on the other side of the desk smiled warmly at her. "Hello, Miss Farron. I'm Captain Jihl Nabaat." She extended her arm over the desk and Claire got up and reached over to shake her hand before settling back down in her seat.

"I've looked over your application," the Captain stated, " and there's just one thing that concerns me, Miss Farron."

Claire gave her best innocent eyes. "Hm?"

The Captain's eyes narrowed. "How old are you, Miss Farron?"

Claire swallowed thickly, her throat suddenly losing all it's moisture. "Uh, Eight-eighteen,"

The Captain nodded. Then she stood and walked around to the front of the desk. She leaned against it, leaving her long legs out in front of her, crossed at the ankles, while her arms folded over her chest. The look on her face was all seriousness now. "If you're going to lie to me, Miss Farron, at least learn to be a bit more _convincing_."

Having been found out, Claire could only blush deeply and look away from her.

"So how old are you, _really_?"

Claire gulped, looking up at her sheepishly, "Uh, si-…f..fif…fourteen…" she whispered, finally settling for the truth.

The Captain smiled and leaned down towards her.

"You know, I like you, Lightning Farron," the Captain said assuredly, "you remind me of myself when I was your age."

Claire looked up at her, confused.

The Captain smiled, "I'm only _nineteen. _Do you really think I made it all the way to Captain in three years?"

Claire's brows knit together. She tried to do the math in her head. You had to be sixteen to join the Guardian Corps. There were a dozen enlisted ranks, five warrant officer ranks, then officer ranks of which Captain was the third. No, it was impossible. She glanced back at the Captain and shook her head.

Captain Nabaat only smirked at her, then she moved from her perch and knelt in front of Claire so that Claire had a very nice view, of which the Captain took no notice. She leaned in and whispered, "I was thirteen when I joined."

She stood, smiling and made her way back to her seat behind the desk. "Why do you want to join the G.C.?" the Captain asked, all business again.

"My parents are…dead."

Concern flickered across the Captain's face. "I'm so sorry." she said, her voice low.

"I have a sister," Claire continued, "she's only twelve." She looked up at the Captain and Jihl Nabaat, the woman, felt a moment of pity for the desperate look in the kid's eyes. She couldn't help the warm smile that lit up her face.

"Well, Lightning Farron," that was what she had written down on the application, "there is an opening in the Guardian Corps, if you're willing to accept the position. I do have to warn you, the hours are long and the work is hard, but the pay is excellent and the benefits are top-notch."

Claire didn't know what to say. "I-yes! I will Miss Nabaat…er, I mean- Captain…uh, t-thank you!"


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Light-16, Serah-14, also (PFC= Private First Class).

-Only You-

ch. 5

Lightning was beat. Exhausted. The apartment was dark and quiet when she let herself in. Serah was already asleep. She tried for silence, employing her training, creeping on the balls of her feet, keeping her weight poised, to make as little noise as possible.

She deftly removed her G.C. uniform and laid it out on the chair in the bedroom. She stood and watched Serah's peaceful form for a moment, comforted in the fact that she was not alone. She turned and quietly walked into the bathroom.

She turned the faucet to full force and stepped into the shower. She ducked her head, letting the searing droplets pelt her neck and shoulders and ease away her aches. She held her head in both hands and tilted her jaw until she felt a reluctant crack. Then she did the other side. She heaved a deep, contented sigh.

Captain Nabaat hadn't lied to her. Basic training had been a _bitch_. Once she had made it through, though she'd decided to stick with it. Not that she had much choice anyway. What the hell else was she supposed to do? Now, a year and a half later, PFC Lightning Farron found she actually liked her job. She enjoyed the rigorous training which kept her body in superb tone and she often marveled in the mirror at the seemingly sudden changes in her body's structure. She had _muscles_ now. Where there was a flat stomach before, in it's place resided a tight six-pack. She mused slightly. She'd always wanted a belly piercing, maybe now she should get one.

A cold draft sucked much of the steam from the room. Her nipples tightened from the sudden loss of heat. "Serah!" she admonished, rather loudly, "Shut the door!"

"S-sorry Cla-…Light" she said softly as she stepped into the shower.

It didn't faze Lightning, she just scooted over, allowing Serah access to the water. They had always bathed together, since they were both very young. After the accident, that hadn't changed, and neither girl thought it strange or odd. "I couldn't sleep, Light," Serah said, "I was so scared,"

Lightning paused in shampooing her hair. "Nightmare?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Serah had remained conscious during the entire thing. She had been severely traumatized by the ordeal of watching helplessly as her parents died and her sister fought for life, choking on her own blood. She would often wake in the middle of the night, convinced that Lightning had also died and that she was truly all alone.

Serah nodded slowly, her breathing hitched, thick with tears. Lightning lifted her chin with one hand. "I'm never going to leave you, okay?"

Serah fell against her sister, letting her sobs melt against her shoulder. Instinct curled Lightning's arms around her waist, pulling her closer. "Don't ever leave me, Lightning," she pleaded, "and don't ever be late again," she added.

"I'm sorry," Lightning whispered, "I had to cover a half-shift for somebody, but I won't do it again, I promise." That seemed to calm Serah down. She nodded slowly and pulled away. Lightning smiled.

"Lets finish up," she said placing a hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn, moving toward the water stream to finish rinsing her head.

"Okay," Serah nodded, reaching past her sister for the bar of soap.

Flesh met flesh's satin caress as their breasts grazed each other. Lightning stiffened, her eyes gone wide, but Serah didn't seem to notice.

_Stop thinking that way! She's your sister!_

Lighting fought to listen to her inner voice, but her eyes drew themselves to Serah's body, mesmerized by the mingling of suds and water droplets trailing down her smooth, cream-colored skin. Before a moment ago, she hadn't ever noticed, but it did seem that Serah was really beginning to fill out lately. She hadn't had breasts before, at least not nice ones like now. Was she really a B-cup already? Light could remember not long ago having to hand down her old training bras.

Lightning swallowed and tried harder to look at her as her baby sister, and not a growing woman. Her eyes trailed lower and where always before Serah had had a boy's figure, she now had a narrow waist and the beginning of cute little hips, nice legs…

_Stop it!_

Lighting threw the curtain back and nearly stumbled trying to get out of the shower quickly enough to escape her rapidly escalating thoughts. She toweled off and headed into the bedroom. She laughed to herself a little as she dressed for bed, pulling on pajama bottoms and a wife-beater.

_Damn, you need to get laid_,_ Farron, _she mused, _You're so desperate, you nearly ravaged your sister! _

She chuckled, but was inwardly horrified at the truth behind the admission.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N- Light-17, Serah 15, Lebreau- 17. Also, no offense to Lebreau fans. Personally, I like her just fine.

-Only You-

Ch. 6

The timer dinged. Serah giggled a girlish squee as she pulled on an oven mitt and brought the turkey out of the oven. It was a small one, but there would only be the two of them. And Lightning had promised she wouldn't be late. She had promised Serah that she had the night off. They hadn't seen much of each other in the past year, and tonight Serah just wanted to spend time with her sister. She missed her.

They hadn't slept in the same bed in about a year. Immediately after the shower incident, Lightning began sleeping on the couch every night when she came home. Then when she got promoted another rank, they had moved into a bigger apartment, a two-bedroom. Serah knew why it had to be this way. She felt the electric shock run down her spine at the brief contact. It sparked in her breasts, pinching her nipples tight and ran down the front of her body to the place between her legs that always burned with an unknown itch whenever she would think of Lightning in that way.

Of course, she knew, instinctively, it was wrong to think that way about her older sister. She just couldn't help it. The look in Claire's eyes had spoken it all, even if it wasn't out loud. And she had practically stumbled trying to get away from Serah. Serah smiled, _She loves me too, she just doesn't know it._

But maybe that would change. Tonight. She fought against hope, knowing it was only a fantasy. In all honesty, Lightning would come home, they would probably eat in their usual near-silence. Light would ask the familiar questions. _How was school? Okay. How are your grades? Good. Got a boyfriend yet?_

Serah snickered at the thought of that question. Lightning always insisted on that last question, as if she was trying to hint something at Serah. And Serah would answer, as always, _No._

Of course, Lightning had no way of knowing that Serah was gay. Serah wasn't even a hundred percent sure about that herself. It wasn't like she ever took an interest in _other _girls. There was only one girl she was interested in.

Her chest felt tight. She sniffled away the almost-tears and swallowed the lump in her throat. Lightning was so damned _oblivious!_ She stood back and gave herself a moment. She wiped at her eyes with the small half-apron, then took a deep breath and admired her handiwork, choosing to concentrate instead on her romantic fantasy of how she would tell Lightning over this beautiful private dinner, that she was in love with her. And in her fantasy, Lightning would just smile at her. She would pull her close into her arms. She would lean down. Their lips would…

She was startled rudely from her imaginings and her fantasy shattered when the door burst open and Lightning stumbled in, half-drunk, leaning into the arms of another woman. The other woman appeared to be around the same age as Lightning. She had long, dark hair, but other than that, and the fact that she was dressed like, well, a _whore_- for lack of a better description, Serah told herself, she wasn't being catty, honest - she paid her no mind. At least she tried not to. Her attention was focused on the object of her affections.

Serah felt her throat tighten. She tried to glare at her sister, but instead tears formed in her eyes. "You're _late_." she said brusquely.

Lightning blinked rapidly, registering the scolding tone in her sister's voice. She took a moment to assess the situation. Her eyes fell on the turkey, the small table, neatly set for two. Were those candles? She stood up a little straighter. She cleared her throat. "Sorry. Lebreau wanted to stop for a couple drinks on the way." she said.

Lightning wasn't the only one who noticed Serah's distress. Lebreau sensed the tension on the air, and mistook the situation entirely, or if either Lightning or Lebreau had known Serah's intent, perhaps not at all. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything…" she said with more than a little trepidation. Lightning, the girl she had just met hours ago, had told her she wasn't seeing anyone. But all the evidence made Lebreau uneasy.

Serah didn't say anything else. She hurried to her bedroom and shut the door loudly, locking it behind her.

Lebreau slapped Lightning, hard.

"Ow! What the fuck?" Lightning exclaimed, touching her cheek, tenderly.

"You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend!"

Lightning's brows knitted together, "What are you talking about? Serah's my _sister_!"

Realization dawned on Lebreau, because she wasn't nearly as wasted as Lightning happened to be at the moment. There was a lot more going on here than showed on the surface. Serah hadn't looked at Lightning with _sisterly_ affection. Lebreau knew that look all too well, from other girls she had dated. Serah had looked at Lightning as if she was in love with her and Lightning, by showing up here with _her_, had just broken her heart.

She shook her head, resignedly. "Look, it's been fun, but maybe I should go,"

Lightning tightened her grip on her wrist and pulled her back in for a greedy kiss, and Lebreau felt exhilarated and guilty for being the "other woman", even if Lightning was oblivious as hell, and her sister's fantasy was one-sided. Lightning pulled away from the kiss and flashed that irresistible smile that had coaxed Lebreau here in the first place.

"No…stay…" she insisted. She kissed her once more, briefly, then walked past her to the shut door.

She knocked hesitantly.

"Serah?"

"Go _**away**_, Light."

She tried again.

"Serah, let me in."

"No…just go."

"Serah, please. I'm sorry I was late."

"I don't wanna talk about it! Just leave me alone!"

Lightning was shocked, and a bit hurt, by the harsh tone to her sister's words. Serah had never refused to talk to her. She turned away, slowly, almost hoping that Serah would change her mind and the door would open. She would poke her head out sheepishly and allow Lighting to apologize and everything would be fixed. But the further she got from the door, the closer she got to Lebreau, she realized that it wasn't going to happen. She felt numb. Serah had never turned her away.

Lightning didn't say anything to Lebreau as she put the food and dishes away. Maker, she needed another drink. She felt her chest tighten. She didn't know why, but seeing that look on Serah's face, hearing the hurt in her voice when she told her to go away, Lightning knew something had changed between them, and she wasn't sure what to think of that. All she knew for sure was that she had hurt Serah, somehow, and she didn't know how to fix it.

"She'll get over it," Lebreau said, offering a small smile. Lightning's eyes shifted from despair to hope.

"You think so?" she asked, her voice laced with a smidge of doubt.

"Yeah, she's just a kid," Lebreau shrugged and pulled Lightning into her embrace.

Lightning nodded. "I guess you're right," she said, letting the other woman cover her lips with her own. Lebreau's kiss took all thought of Serah from Lightning's mind as she lost herself in the feel of _woman_. Lightning led Lebreau to her bedroom and quietly shut the door behind them.

"Mmm…ah-ahh!" Lebreau moaned, a little too loud. Lightning put a finger to her lips.

"Shh…" she admonished, "you'll wake Serah." she whispered.

Lebreau giggled, unconcerned. She had a feeling that whatever Serah might be doing right now, it sure it as hell wasn't _sleeping._

She moaned a little louder, "Fuck me, Lightning, fuck me, harder."

**In the other room…**

Muffled noises mingled with a steady, thumping backdrop. Serah had no idea, and every idea what they were doing in there. She kept her eyes screwed shut. Her hands held the pillow in place around the back of her head to cover her ears, and muffle the sounds even more. Her chest was on fire, she could hardly breathe beyond the pain, that had now become a very real, physical ache. She felt like she would die if she had to listen to them any longer.

Lebreau moaned louder.

"Shh…you'll wake Serah," Lightning's voice, a low whisper.

_Yeah, right, Lightning, like the fucking bedpost slamming into the wall all night isn't enough to wake me up_, she thought bitterly.

"Fuck me, Lightning, Fuck me harder!"

Maker, just what does she see in that _whore?_


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- Light 18, Serah- 16.

-Only You-

Ch. 7

"Serah?" she called out to the empty apartment. "Serah?" No answer. Lightning frowned. She should be home from school already. Had something happened on the way home? Was she okay? Light was home earlier than usual, having taken the night off.

She tried her cell and when the voicemail picked up she left a message. She waited. No answer. She tried texting her, and waited some more. Still no answer. Panic gripped a hold of her logic and ran away with it. Serah would have told her if she had a boyfriend or something, and Serah always answered her cell, so that could only mean she was in trouble somewhere. She immediately made another call.

Butterflies twittered nauseating swirls in her gut while the line rang and rang. Finally, it picked up. "Corporal Farron? Why are you calling me on my private line?"

"Sorry, Major Nabaat. It's an emergency. I need you to put out an APB on Serah Farron."

"Your sister? What's wrong?"

"I don't know. She's not here. She's _never_ not here."

"Corporal, you know there's a twenty-four-hour wait on missing persons. She's probably just out with frien-"

"No! She could be dead by then! Do it, now…_Please_…"

"Right. I'll need a desc-"

Lighting held the bridge of her nose and let out a slow, fluttering breath, an attempt to stay calm under the circumstances. "She's sixteen. A hundred and ten. About five-three. Pink hair. Blue eyes. Last seen-" Lightning's voice cracked. She let out another shaky sigh before she could continue. "Last seen, this morning… when I dropped her off at school…" Lighting couldn't hide the tears in her voice.

"She goes to Bodhum High, right?"

"Yeah."

"What was she wearing when you saw her last?"

"Her school outfit. Um, white top, red plaid skirt, white knee-high socks, black Mary Janes.

"Got it. Don't worry, Lightning. We'll find her."

"Thank you, Major. Thank you."

Lighting didn't know what to do now. She looked at the silent phone in her hands. Should she stay here and wait, in case Serah came home? Should she go out and look for her? Where the hell would she be? It was then that Lighting realized just how far apart they had grown in so short a time.

She fell to her knees, cradling the phone in her hands.

_Maker, please let her be okay._

The thought of Serah lying injured somewhere, or worse, got to Lightning. She crumbled to a fetal position on the floor and bawled loudly between choked sobs.

She regretted all the harsh words she'd ever said to her. And she would take them back, in a heartbeat, if only Serah was okay.

_Please…_

She didn't know how long she'd been lying there, but she'd cried until her eyes could make no more tears come out.

A loud fist knocked insistently on her door. Heart pounding, she got up and ran to answer it. She shook with fear as her hand closed around the knob. That wasn't Serah's knock. It sounded like…

She opened the door and her heart seized in her chest at sight of the cop, his partner, and their cruiser. Her mind was already racing and she steeled herself against the words she knew she would cause her heart to explode, killing her in the process, if she heard them.

"Miss Farron?"

She nodded numbly at the cop who had knocked on her door.

"We found her, Miss Farron. But, I'm gonna need you to sign some forms before we release her into your custody. The city's filing charges."

Lightning blinked at him. "Wh-what?"

_Maker, she's alive!_

"Yeah, we found a bunch of those NORA kids vandalizing city property. "Redecorating", they called it," he said, more to his partner than to Lighting.

The other cop snorted, "Bunch a no-good delinquents, if ya ask me, ma'am," the other cop said, handing her a clipboard and a pen. Lightning signed her name without really looking at the form and the cop checked it, then tore it off from the pad along with another one and handed the copy to her. She folded it absently and stuck it in her back pocket. The cops walked back out to their car and opened the back door. One of them dragged Serah out of the backseat and the other helped him as they both walked her to the door.

Even with both cops helping her, Serah was having a lot of trouble walking and Lightning suspected it had a lot to do with the scruffy-looking blonde guy she'd caught a glimpse of in the backseat before the door was shut again. Her initial elation at Serah's well-being, turned quickly to anger.

After the cops uncuffed her and walked away, Serah rubbed her wrists for a moment, where the restraints had been. Then she realized she was free, and before Lighting could say a word to scold her, she threw her arms around her big sister in a vice-like hug, sending them both stumbling back through the open door.

"Lightning!" she cried with a lopsided grin.

Lightning felt the wind knocked out of her. She braced her weight on her feet to keep them both from falling. She held Serah with one arm around her waist, breathing in the smell of her hair, as she reached over and shut the door with her other hand. But something was off. Serah smelled like…

She pried the smaller girl off of her and looked into her eyes. Her bloodshot blue eyes. Serah's face was flushed and she kept giggling for no apparent reason. "You've been drinking…" Lightning said, her voice barely a whisper.

"I only had three beers, Light. Lighten up!" She said, then she smirked and fell into a fit of giggles at her own pun.

There was another smell underneath the alcohol that Lightning also recognized. She crossed her arms and gave Serah a stern look. "Anything else?" she demanded.

"Mm-hm," Serah nodded. "That guy Snow-he's really nice to me-I think he likes me (giggle)-he had this stuff it looked like a cigarette, but he said it wasn't"

Lightning's lips tightened, her eyes narrowed. Her voice went flat, "You smoked Oerbaweed?"

"Just a little," Serah slurred, pinching her fingers together to show Lightning the amount. Her eyelids were heavy and she gazed dazedly at her big sis. She smacked her lips, and worked her tongue around. She made a gagging sound in her throat. "Thirsty." she said.

Lightning heaved a sigh and led Serah to the couch and made her sit down while she went into the kitchen to get her a glass of water. Then she sat down beside Serah and made her drink down the entire glass. Serah smiled with that goofy lopsided grin. "Thanks," She set the glass down and then leaned forward suddenly. Lightning turned her head aside just in the nick of time and the kiss remained chaste, landing on her cheek.

Serah pulled back, her eyes widened with renewed memory. "Oh! And you should try those gelatin cup things, Light! They're soooo good!"

Lightning did a face palm. One of the first and hardest lessons she'd learned was you don't mix beer with liquor, especially flan-shots. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Maker, this was gonna be a loooong night.

"Serah," she said slowly, still holding her face in her hand, "How many did you have?"

There was no immediate answer. She glanced over to see that Serah had taken a more comfortable position lying down on the couch instead of sitting up any more. Lightning leaned over her body, oblivious to the slight shiver from Serah, or the sudden flush to her cheeks. Lightning tapped her repeatedly on her cheek.

"Serah…Serah!"

Finally, Serah focused looking dead at Lightning.

"How many… flan-shots… did you have?" she asked slowly, so Serah's wasted mind could follow.

Serah's face lit up. "Flan-shots! That's what they called them! Oh my gosh, they're sooo good! You should try them!"

"Serah…" her voice came out a little harsher, but she was losing patience. "How many of them did you have?"

Serah cocked a goofy grin and brought her hands up to her face. She appeared to be counting her fingers as she wiggled them one by one on both hands, then she showed her hands to Lightning, fingers splayed. "How many…is this many…?" she giggled again, "and then I forget…"

Now Lightning did a double face-palm.

"L-L-..Light…?"

She glanced over at Serah, who's complexion had gone from flushed to pale grey. She was sweating and shaking.

"I- I don't feel good, Light. I'm gonna throw up…"

Lightning sighed, helping her up and led her to the bathroom. She spoke in Serah's ear and didn't notice the way Serah's arms suddenly broke out in goosebumps. "From now on, only two beers at the most, okay? And NO flan-shots, got it?"

Serah nodded weakly, as Lightning lowered her to the floor in front of the toilet. She cried because now, she was caught between nausea and trying to feel better. The waves would come and go and she was trying to fight them, but in the end it was a losing battle and she retched green gelatin until her sides ached and her throat burned.

Lightning sat beside her the whole time rubbing her back and holding her hair out of the way. When it was over, Serah leaned back, exhausted, and let Lightning cradle her in her arms. She shifted so she could nestle her head against Lightning's chest, could hear the rhythm of her heart. She cried and let Lightning hold her. And they were guilty tears because Serah knew that all of this had happened because she was a coward. Because she couldn't find the words to tell her sister that she was in love with her. So she let Lightning hold her, and in that moment, all she wanted was for the rest of the world to disappear. She couldn't have cared less if they were the only two people on Cocoon for all eternity.

"Don't let go, Light," she whispered, clinging to her with her arms around her neck, "don't ever let me go."

Lightning stood and carried the now sleeping Serah to her room and put her in her bed. She tuck her in and found Mr. Cuddles and tucked him in with her. She sat on the edge of the bed and watched her baby sister sleep for a long time before she turned out the light.

"I promise," she whispered as she quietly closed the door and headed to her own room.


	8. Chapter 8

-Only You-

Ch. 8

The sisters sat in silence on opposite sides of the table. Lightning drummed her fingers distractedly. Serah fidgeted in her seat and pretended to study her math assignment, but her eyes kept flicking over to the clock on the wall.

_Please don't be late… _she prayed. She couldn't wait to get out of here. Ever since Lightning had to go to court and pay a hefty fine for the vandalism incident, she was a real _bitch_. Serah had to practically sneak out to see her friends anymore. It wasn't Serah's fault, and Lightning knew that, but the city had filed charges anyway, deeming Serah guilty by association. Now she rarely let her out of her sight.

It was strange, she had wanted Lightning's undivided attention, but not like this. Her eyes flicked to the clock again. 6:25p. He would be here in five minutes. Her heart sped up. She wasn't sure how she was going to explain this to Lightning, but it had been weeks, she couldn't still be pissed about it, could she? They argued a lot more these days, Light trying to assert her authority, and Serah trying to find her own independence. She opened her mouth to speak.

Someone knocked on their door. Lightning threw a glance at Serah, frowning. Serah closed her book and stood up quickly, "Ah-that's Snow, he's taking me out to a movie tonight. I'll see you when I get home." she stammered. She turned to leave, but was stopped by a vice grip on her wrist. She glanced back to her sister, who stared firmly at her from across the table, still seated.

"You're not going anywhere." she said, her voice steady.

"But Light-"

"I don't like him, he's a bad influence on you."

"You can't tell me who to be friends with!"

"Yes the hell I can."

"You're not my mother!" she yelled, jerking her hand away.

Lightning stood up so fast and closed the distance, Serah flinched, taking a step back. Her heart beat a frantic measure in her chest. Lightning pressed in close. Serah's back was to the wall. She tried to look away from harsh blue eyes.

"I'm the closest thing you've got." Lightning said in an uncharacteristically soft tone. Her eyes wavered with the beginnings of tears.

"Light…" Serah saw the hurt in her eyes and tried to reach up to cup her face, but Lighting flinched and jerked back, turning her head away. The memory was still fresh for both of them.

Lightning turned back to face her, her voice was calm, steady. No trace of tears in her eyes. "You're failing math." she said matter-of-factly, "If you don't improve your grades, you won't get into University next year. You're smarter than that, Serah…you deserve more…I don't want you hanging around with that Snow guy."

Serah rolled her eyes. She had heard this particular speech about a hundred times already. Snow knocked harder on the door. "Serah? You home?"

She narrowed her eyes at her sister. "I'm going out and you can't stop me."

Lightning's eyes narrowed perceptibly. "You're. Not. Going. Anywhere." she said, each word clipped and precise.

Serah crossed her arms over her chest. "How are you gonna stop me?"

"You know what, Serah? I've had enough of your mouth tonight."

"What are you gonna do about it Light?" Serah mocked with teenage attitude, knowing her sister was truly a pushover and always let her get away with crap.

Something inside Lightning snapped. She knew she couldn't slap her sister, even though sometimes, like now, Serah really made her want to. She grabbed Serah roughly by the wrist and dragged her into the living room. Serah struggled, but she was not nearly as strong as her G.C. trained sister. Lightning was determined.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Shut up, you spoiled little brat."

Serah was stunned for a moment. Lightning never spoke so harshly to her. She struggled a bit harder. "Come on, Light, this isn't funny. Let go."

Lightning led her to the couch and sat down. She pulled Serah down over her lap. The familiar position dawned on the younger Farron and she tried to get up, but Lightning had a firm grip. She flipped up Serah's red plaid skirt, revealing soft pink underwear. Her hand came down quickly across the nearest cheek.

Serah yelped in surprise. Her body gave an involuntary jerk at the sudden sting across her flesh. But she was surprised to find it wasn't _entirely_ unpleasant. Her breath caught in her throat as Lightning's hand came down again, harder.

"Ow! Light! That hurt!" she protested, renewing her struggles. The next one landed and it stung more, but surprisingly, it didn't hurt as much, and it was accompanied by a strange fluttery sensation low in Serah's belly, and she knew from health class that it was a sexual feeling. An urge. A burning itch between her legs that she didn't know how to appease. _Masturbate_, was the word that came to mind. The word she had learned at school, but in reality even though she had heard over and over that "everybody does it", she just never had, and she didn't know how.

She felt guilty for enjoying herself when Lightning was trying to punish her. But she couldn't help the way her body responded. Each new strike fell on further warmed and swollen cheeks, making them sting all the more with each successive blow that sent a tingle from the point of contact all the way down the back of her legs to her toes. And to _there_ as well, making it all the more pleasantly unbearable. Her struggles had ceased, her breathing was shallow. Lightning's anger seemed to have abated, her hand had stopped moving, but it stayed rested on her ass and Serah's legs trembled at the feel of the strong, calloused hands, touching her where she had never let anyone touch her. Not even her sort-of boyfriend, Snow.

Lightning released her and it took Serah a moment to get her bearings. She didn't want to move, but the moment had been awkward enough. For both of them from the look on Lightning's face. She appeared as shocked as Serah. She cleared her throat and blinked a few times.

"Go to your room," she told Serah, her voice only a hoarse whisper, as if her throat was dry, "finish your studies."

Serah got up and pulled her skirt back down. She didn't say anything else, but she did as told. She grabbed her books from the table and went into her bedroom and shut the door.

Lightning's reeling mind came back to reality with another insistent knock on the front door. "Serah!"

She sighed and walked over to answer it. She told Snow that Serah was grounded for the next three weeks. He looked disappointed, but he accepted her explanation and walked back to his car. Lighting pulled out her cell phone and made a call as she shut the front door silently behind her. She started walking as the phone rang. Finally, a familiar voice picked up.

"Hey."

"Are you at work? I need to see you."

"Yea, Light. My shift just started. The bar closes down at midnight. Call me later."

"No!" Lightning said, a bit too insistently, "Now. I need to see you, now."

There was a pause on the other end. Finally, she relented. "Okay."

OOOOOOO

Lightning's lips were quick and needy, her tongue searching, exploring, dueling against it's mate. Lebreau sighed a satisfied moan as they broke for air. Lightning's body kept her pressed against the wall of the office. The blinds over the windows kept them hidden from view of the bar patrons, but they still had to be quiet. Lightning knew she would probably have appreciated a slower go of things, but they didn't have the time. Besides it wasn't like Lebreau was her girlfriend or anything. That was Lebreau's idea. She met way too many women in her line of work to commit herself to just Lightning Farron. They had a more…practical relationship…fuck buddies.

The dark-haired woman laughed, as she saw the look in those desperate sky-colored eyes. "What's got _you _all hot and bothered tonight?"

Lightning answered with more of the same, which was exactly as Lebreau would have expected. She delighted in the feel of Lightning Farron as the soldier pressed closer to her and led them over to the desk. She cleared the contents with a swipe of one arm, then hoisted her dark-haired lover onto it and climbed on top of her, pressing her body down as she grasped behind Lebreau's knee and lifted her leg. Lebreau moaned, throwing her leg over the back of Lightning's and hooking it behind hers.

She grasped Lebreau's breast, and though the voice, the body, the face, were all Lebreau, Lightning's hands, ears, eyes saw, heard, felt, a falsehood, and she indulged herself greedily in the lie.

_Serah…_


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note, okay since this is the end, I guess I should admit, the inspiration for the story was almost entirely from the song "Only one" by Yellowcard. The chapter you are about to read contains gratuitous amounts of Farroncest, lesbian sex...that being said...enjoy! XD

-Only You-

Ch. 9

"Claire…?"

"_Claire!_"

Sky-colored eyes snapped back to the present. Slowly, she focused, the fuzzy pink form solidifying, the colors returning to sharper contrast, and taking the form of her sister's face. "Huh?"

A gentle hand laid upon hers, squeezing it lightly. A quick glance downward indicated that she was still running the vacuum over the same spot. "Claire…stop…"

"Look at me,"

She didn't want to. She averted her eyes away from Serah, her throat clenching tight, a sudden wash of tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath, letting it out slowly through her mouth.

Serah's fingertips. Ever so lightly against the side of her jaw. That was all it took to crumble her legendary strength. Her legs trembled, unsure if they could hold her weight anymore. Her heart thudded loudly against it's prison. It was all she could do to hold back, drawing on the very last of her fathomless resolve. Serah's fingertips…so light…so gentle…pulling her face around to the front as the younger Farron turned off the machine, took her sister's hand away from it, entwined it with her own as she closed the distance.

"Look…at me…Claire," she demanded in the softest whisper.

Their eyes met.

Lightning broke away first. She couldn't look at Serah too long. Or those same feelings would start again, making her chest too tight to breathe. The invisible hand that would always close around her throat, drawing tears from her eyes and raw, dry sobs of despair on the nights she was left alone. The nights she came home to an empty apartment. Empty, because she was with _him_.

"No," Lightning said, her voice nothing but a shaky whisper, "…Serah…_No…_," she said, a little louder, a little clearer, affirming her stance by slamming her fist into the wall behind her. Serah winced and reached for Lightning's other hand, taking it also in her own. She drew steady circles against Lightning's palms with her thumbs, sending a tiny charge up her sister's spine with each deliberate circuit.

Lightning swallowed thickly, her mouth suddenly dry. She couldn't fight it, she couldn't fight _her_. For all her Guardian Corps experience, she was defenseless, exposed. Serah glanced up at her, a small smile lighting her lips as she let go of Lightning's hands and reached up to cup her face. Lightning sighed, a breath of relief to a pressure she hadn't known was there until she felt it relent at her sister's tender contact. "Serah…"she whispered, closing her eyes and leaning into the touch almost imperceptibly, _almost_.

"Claire…"

She looked up at her name, the emotion overflowing from Serah's eyes made her heart flutter frantically like a wild chocobo that had been caught unexpectedly. She wanted to believe it. Nothing in the world had Claire Farron ever wanted more, than to believe her sister loved her, truly _loved _her as much as she loved Serah.

"I'm not a child," Serah stated truthfully, allowing the fullness of maturity into her normally girlish voice.

Lightning could not look away. She had refused to see the subtle changes year by year, insisting to her own mind that Serah was still just a kid, her baby sister. This peter pan fantasy often was the only thing to keep her from ravaging Serah as the years went by. But now, the evidence held her firmly in place. Lightning hissed and held her breath as Serah pressed herself against her. She leaned towards Lightning's ear.

"You can't tell me what do anymore," she whispered. She pressed her lips lightly against her cheek, lingering there, as she felt her sister's body stiffen. She turned once more to whisper in her ear, grazing her cheek along Lightning's. The older Farron shivered, a slight gasp escaping her lips as Serah pressed closer into her arms.

"Kiss me, Claire," she said, forming the words into a gentle request. Her voice wavered as she slowly pulled away, to look her sister in the eye. "Tell me…"

Lighting's eyes were screwed shut.

Serah reached up, brushed Lightning's hair from in front of her face, where she was using it to hide behind.

"Tell me you love me. We both know it's true,"

Lightning's eyes popped open wide.

"I need to hear it from you,"

"I-Serah…this is _wrong_…"

The younger Farron frowned, pink brows scrunching together. Her eyes darkened. "Why?" she demanded loudly. "_Why is it wrong, Light_?"

Lightning stared breathlessly into Serah's eyes. The pain she saw there reflected the same in her own heart.

"_I love you, Claire! Is it my fault that I was born your sister_?" Serah's voice rose to a heated crescendo, "_Is it your fault that you were born mine?_"

Serah pushed away from Lightning and buried her face in her hands to hide her tear-choked sobs. Lightning silently closed the distance and wrapped her arms around Serah. She cradled the smaller woman's head to her shoulder. "I love you Serah," she whispered, kissing her on the top of her head, "You know that"

She held her for a long time, until the sobs abated and this time, when Serah reached for her, Lightning did not turn away.

OOOOOOO

Serah's lips held a soft urgency that belied a quickly growing fire, as her kiss escalated from loving to passionate, to needy desperation that had her sister gasping helplessly under her attention and moaning into her mouth. "You're all I've ever had, Claire," she whispered as they broke briefly for air, "All I've ever wanted," Serah continued, renewing the kiss, sucking gently on Lighting's own lips, "All I've ever needed," Her hand traveled down her sister's half-naked body, "Is you," her hand slid under Lightning's bra, "Only you, Claire,"

"Serah…" Lightning's eyes fluttered closed, as her mind swam, her body basking in the feel of Serah's touch. She had never let anyone top her. Not Lebreau or anyone else.

Yet here she was, lying half-nude on her bed, with Serah straddling her body, pinning her down effectively with her lips, her fingers, her scent…she mused, as Serah's hair brushed her cheek and she caught a whiff of _Strawberry Summer_, Serah's favorite shampoo.

Small, deft fingers fiddled with the clasp and suddenly, Lightning's breasts lay exposed, the bra falling away to the sides of her chest. She shivered at the small warm hands that enveloped each breast, kneading, caressing, massaging with a deliberate tenderness borne out of pure love.

Lightning didn't have to kid herself to know that what she had with Lebreau, or any other girl, for that matter, paled in comparison to this. She loved Serah. Serah loved her. It was all she needed. All she would ever need.

Serah paused, uncertainty painted across her face, her fingers lingering over the smooth skin beneath them, causing Lightning's nipples to harden. Lightning propped herself up on her elbows and skillfully shimmied out of the bra. She tossed it somewhere into the darkness of the bedroom, then pulled Serah down on top of her for another kiss.

Lost in the suppleness of her lips, the quick, occasional flash of her shy tongue, Lightning shifted, rolling Serah over, placing her beneath. She trembled, her adrenal glands working in overdrive. _Calm down, soldier_, she told herself. This was not like other times, with other girls. Slowly, her heartbeat began to match her breathing once more, and only when she could breathe calmly, she leaned down to kiss Serah's neck.

The younger Farron sighed and arched her neck into Lightning's lips, her arms clutching tightly to her sister and holding her there, "Claire…" she sighed. Claire continued her way further down, leaving a trail of feather-light kisses on Serah's neck and shoulder, her collarbone. She paused at her breast, rubbed her face into the small mound, feeling the bra graze against her skin. She inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent of Serah's skin. Her lips grazed over the fabric. She opened her mouth and bit her gently through the bra, her eyes trained on Serah's reaction.

Serah gasped, as her body arched into her sister's teeth, her eyes gone wide. She glanced down at Lightning as she fought for steady breaths. Beneath the oceanic dark blue of surprise, something primal lurked, pulling at Lightning's instinct, pleading for her to continue. Lightning could feel her heart beating against her lips as her teeth nibbled through the binding cotton. She reached up, taking only a moment to free Serah's breasts of their earthly trappings.

Bare teeth grazed over warm flesh. Wet lips met soft skin. Serah moaned, her heart filled with joy for once in all these long years, her dream was coming true. Or maybe it was that. Just a dream. Lightning tongued her nipple, sending shockwaves of pleasure rippling down her spine, outward from her core. _Maker, please, let me never wake,_ she prayed into the darkened night as her sister mouthed one breast and massaged the other.

Lighting stopped abruptly, drawing Serah's attention as she felt her move above her. She opened her eyes to see Lightning hovering near. She leaned down closely, letting her cheek graze her sister's, mimicking Serah's earlier action. "I love you, Serah," she whispered, tracing her fingers down Serah's cheek, "Only you,"

Serah smiled. In the dark of night it was hard to see anything of Claire's face, but her eyes shone clearly in the soft moonlight, darkened pools of midnight blue. Serah grasped a handful of long, pink tresses and pulled her in for a passionate tongue-duel. She moaned as Lightning's body pressed close, arching her own into the feel of her sister, convinced she could meld them into one. Lightning's hands trailed down her body, teasing her ribs, tickling her stomach, and still they trailed lower…

Serah's heart beat harder, her breaths came faster. A moment of clarity brought forth a memory from a night, now years past. The sound of the bed slamming mercilessly into the wall as she tried to drown out Lebreau's loud moans, _Fuck me, Lightning._

She gulped down a small tide of fear that tried to rise within her. Lightning wouldn't hurt her. She knew it in the deliberation she was taking in slowly pulling her underwear down the length of her legs. When it was gone, she returned to Serah. Her fingers lightly teased, playing in the soft curls between her legs, though careful to avoid any overly sensitive areas.

Serah looked up. Lightning was blushing, a rare occasion to be sure, but Serah couldn't fathom why she would be embarrassed.

"Serah," she whispered, drawing her sister's full attention, though her fingers were doing their best to distract her, "…have you…ever…?"

_Have I ever what? _She was about to ask, and then it dawned on her. _Oh! That…_ She shook her head very slowly, her own blush creeping up her neck, into her cheeks. Lightning didn't say anything, she only nodded. Then her fingers brushed over Serah's center and the younger Farron gasped, inhaling sharply at the sudden, pleasurable contact.

Her legs fell open wider, allowing her sister full access to her wanting body in a shameless display of pure, unadulterated lust. Lightning's touch remained teasing and frustratingly gentle, much to Serah's pleasure and dismay.

"Claire…" she pleaded, unsure of what she pleaded for, "…more…"

But Lightning seemed to know already what it was she needed. A slight change in her touch, a little more pressure from her fingers as they circled a steady rhythm, matching the instinctive thrust of Serah's hips. She paused, returning to her, and Serah whimpered, but looked up at her. "It's going to hurt…a little," she stated firmly but remained propped above, until Serah nodded in understanding.

"I want you to _love_ me, Claire," she said.

Lightning nodded, knowing that what she meant to say was, _I want you to make love to me, Claire_. She bent down to kiss Serah, swallowing her moans as her fingers resumed their circuit, and alternately made long strokes up and down the center, coating her fingers with her sister's anticipation.

Lightning teased her opening, testing, entering painstakingly slow, a millimeter at a time into Serah's snug warmth and removing her finger, only to go just a tiny bit further each time, her thumb continuing it's circuit of Serah's tiny nub. Her own center pulsed firey need. She wanted to take Serah, as she had taken Lebreau and countless others. But she steeled her resolve. It wouldn't be that way. Not with Serah. She wanted to savor the moment, knowing it would be the only one. Tonight and…she bit her cheeks, holding back tears she didn't want Serah to see. Tonight and, never again.

Finally, she had her middle finger in, up to the first knuckle, and felt the fleshy barrier, barring her path. She suckled Serah's bottom lip, flashed her tongue over it's mate, distracting her with a dizzying kiss. Serah tensed, grunted into her mouth, squeezed her eyes shut as a single tear slipped out. They paused in perfect, halted unison, the world refusing to turn again, until Serah relaxed, moaning as she felt Lightning move within her.

Serah set the pace, topping from the bottom. Not begging or pleading, rather telling Lightning what to do. How fast, how hard, more, less, again, not enough, too much. It was all Serah's to command and Lightning reveled in the fact of Serah using her to her ultimate pleasure, a need she could feel rising within the younger girl. Her stomach muscles tensed, her hips rolled faster, her moans more desperate.

She tensed for a breath, then shuddered as the waves wracked her small frame. She moaned, her back arched into her sister's body as if needy for one last touch. Lightning being the more experienced, rode the waves with her, moving her fingers in expert rhythm, she brought Serah a second time, before the first one was done and Serah screamed her name as the world faded into nothingness.

Lightning held her a long time before she pulled out slowly. Serah mewled, not wanting to her to let go, but knowing also, that it was over. She was clearly spent, as she had remained entirely motionless for the past twenty minutes or so. Though she fought to savor the moment, the night, her sister's embrace, her mind lost it's grip on reality, fading into the welcoming darkness of sleep.

Lightning brought her hand to her mouth and suckled the essence of Serah from her fingers. She moaned, savoring the taste of her, wishing for more, and knowing it would not happen. She sighed a broken-hearted sigh, kissed Serah on the forehead, and snuggled down beside her.

OOOOOOO

Serah woke in the early hours just before dawn. The bed was cold beside her. She blinked and sat up, forcing her eyes open. Was it just a dream? Was none of that real? Didn't it happen? She felt a stab of disappointment in her heart, before she realized, a moment later, a dull ache between her legs.

_Lighting looked down at her. "It's going to hurt,"_

And it had, though not as much as she had expected it to. She looked down at herself and realized that beneath the blanket, she was entirely nude.

_Lightning bit her though the bra… Lightning slowly pulled her panties down the length of her legs…_

But where was she? The bed was empty beside her. Where her sister should have been, a small scrap of paper lay there and Serah picked it up, though everything in her instinct screamed at her not to. There, in Lightning's neat penmanship, five words were scrawled carefully. Five words that filled Serah's heart with despair.

_It's over._

No room for argument. The first line commanded an order. Below that, almost apologetically, almost seemingly as an afterthought:

_You're getting married._

Lightning loved her. Perhaps more than she could understand at the moment.

Serah pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head against them. Bewildered tears streamed down her face as realization struck. Her one and only, her love, the only one she could ever love so deeply, so completely, had let her go.


	10. Interlude-Lips of an Angel

Companion piece to Only You. An Interlude.

* * *

-Lips of an Angel-

Her ears rang in the silent dark of night. The steady rhythm of his breaths sighed heavy, and slow with sleep. Their love had been quick, but did not lack tenderness, and she knew he loved her. Her chest clenched tightly, aching with a guilty pang as hot, shameful tears streamed from her eyes, rolling down the sides of her face to wet her pillow as she stared at the empty ceiling. He was her husband, the father of her son, and she was in love with someone else.

She knew what she felt was wrong, in so many ways, but she could not help what her heart wanted. She had tried to love him, and in some way, she did. He was a wonderful father, a caring, kind, loving husband. It was not fair to him that his wife, Serah Villiers' heart's desire, was another woman. She bit her lower lip to hold in her sobs while debating whether or not to call her beloved. She glanced at the blaring red numbers of the digital alarm clock. The hour was late, she might not even be awake. And what would she do if her lover's lover answered? What would she say? It broke her heart to know her one and only had another. But what did she expect?

She knew she deserved it, though. She wasn't exactly Wife of the Year. All the pain she was feeling now was her atonement, sort of a voluntary emotional flagellation of her soul for the terrible betrayal of both her husband and her sister. _Claire…_

Just the thought of the strawberry blonde soldier caused her heart to skip, pounding against her ribs like the tide crashing steadily against the shore. She closed her eyes, her mind going instantly to the last time they had been together, just a few months after her wedding, just before Serah found out she was pregnant.

Maker knows, they had tried to stay away from each other after the wedding, but the fal'Cie themselves could not have kept the Farron siblings apart. Being sisters, there were just way too many excuses for the two to see each other, and be alone together, which inevitably led to the actions that made Serah feel guilty for betraying her new husband, and for breaking her sister's heart. Lightning would never admit it to the younger sister, but Serah knew, each time they parted ways, that Lightning felt like she could die from the pain of being without her. An inconspicuous tear, hidden by a slight flick of her hand to her face, or the smile that never reached those ocean-blue eyes.

The last time she had looked into those same eyes that mirrored her own color so vibrantly, Lightning stared down softly at her, trailing fingers down her throat, and the younger sister trembled with anticipation, shoving aside, for the time being at least, any thoughts of her husband. Lightning brushed her lips against Serah's moaning slightly as Serah responded, opening for her and sharing her tongue's heated advances.

Shallow sighs escaped from Serah's lips as the ghostly feel of Lightning's fingers trailing down her thighs, pulling her underwear down the length of her legs, left her breathless. Those same ghost hands now reached upward, moving along her torso, higher, to cup one of her breasts, enveloping the soft flesh in a warm embrace of calloused palm and strong fingers. Unnoticed by Serah, her back arched slightly off the bed, as she called her clandestine lover's name, "Claire…" she whispered, mirroring reality and memory into a jaded fantasy of what she knew could never be, not ever again.

Lightning had stopped coming around when she found out Serah was pregnant. The younger sister threw herself into the nucleus of her little family, in order to forget the pain that left an empty hole in her heart that only Claire could fill. Honestly…who was Snow? Serah had been in love with Claire since she was fourteen. Even before that she had adored her, admired her, idolized her. Compared to a lifetime of _Claire_, he was just some guy she had met.

The realization that she was not _in love _with Snow felt like the cold grasp of death upon her senses. Fresh tears stung her eyes. Had she really been so stupid to resign herself to a life without Claire? Stifled sobs echoed in the silence, responded only by his heavy snoring breaths. Why had she married him? Because Lightning told her to. And Serah Farron, always did what Lightning told her to.

_Well screw that! Look where that's gotten you! _She thought bitterly.

Unable to reconcile the voices in her head and the grief in her heart, Serah Villiers decided she had had enough. She deftly escaped out from under Snow's possessive arm, careful not to wake him, and crawled out of the bed. Quietly, she made her way out of the bedroom, pausing in the hall for a moment to peek in on her son. A warm, motherly smile of admiration and love came to her face, as she watched the strawberry-blonde headed boy sleep soundly in his crib.

Doubts crept into her mind. Would Snow leave her, if he knew what she had done? Would he take her son away? No. Lightning would never allow that.

Oerbin, for that was the boy's name, after Cocoon's saviors, made contented sounds in his sleep while she crept over to him and reached over the crib to plant a soft kiss on his tousled pink hair.

_Sleep tight, sweet boy._

Uncertain what the future would hold, Serah Villiers bid her son goodnight and stepped stealthily into the living room. She didn't bother to turn on a light, as the moon was now high in the air and cast a bluish glow through the window that allowed her just enough light to see by.

Settling on the couch, she pulled her legs up next to her and picked the receiver up off of the cradle. For a long time she let the dial tone hum, trying to settle her wildly beating heart and gather her scrambled thoughts. The phone gave a busy signal in mild protest and the sound brought her back to reality. _Damn it_, she thought distractedly. She hung it up and tried again. This time she took two deep breaths before dialing.

_Serah…_

* * *

Lightning Farron tossed uneasily in the bed. Lebreau lay beside her, not touching, but not too far away either. She was sound asleep, but she'd given up on cuddling with Lightning earlier in their relationship, once she'd learned that the elder Farron was a violent sleeper. Lebreau had already been kicked, kneed, slapped, and elbowed by the unconscious pink-haired soldier.

Lightning tossed again, turning her body the other way, pulling her pillow closer to her in a deathgrip. Her current dreamscape consisted of the shoreline at Bodhum's beach. The sun settled slowly behind the horizon, painting the dusk sky with orange hues that made the younger girl's hair seem more red than pink. Her eyes reflected the same cerulean as the rolling waves that crashed around their bare feet. There were tears in Serah's eyes.

Lightning pulled her close to her body, holding her within the vice of her arms.

_I love you…_

Serah glanced up at Lightning, eyes filled with the same sorrowful desperation, that same pleading look. Her eyes closed. Her lips pursed, a perfect bow of soft pink. She reached up on her toes, and Lightning could feel the younger woman's hand sliding up her neck to cup the back of her head. She closed her own eyes…

RRRIIIIIINNG! RRRIIIINNNG!

"Mmmn," Lebreau mumbled a protest, nudging Lighting. When the soldier didn't move, and the phone kept ringing, she nudged Lightning harder.

"Huhn? Wha?.." Lightning startled awake, her dream so rudely interrupted. She glanced over at Lebreau who mumbled, "phone" and settled deeper into sleep.

Phone?…yes, it _was_ ringing. But who would call at this hour? Her heart sped up as she thought it was probably work, some emergency they needed her for, and whatever they would need Sergeant Farron for at this time of night, probably wasn't good. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and hastily picked up the reciever, trying to clear her mind as she did so.

"Hello?"

The other line was silent, just the soft rhythm of someone's breathing pattern. Lightning tried to discern the familiar sound.

"Who is this? What do you want?"

"Claire…it's me…"

_Serah…_

Lightning swallowed the sudden lump in her throat.

"I miss you…"

She sighed, resting her head back against the pillow, basking in the sweet familiar lilt of the voice she loved. She turned her head slightly, glancing at unconscious lover. Lebreau shifted and nestled further into the blanket.

"I can't talk about this right now," Lightning whispered.

Serah made a pouting sound of protest, a small whimper, "_Please_, Claire, I need to see you."

"Fine," Lightning sighed, and crept out of the bed. She quietly made her way into the living room and spread out on the couch, resting her head on the arm of the couch and tucking the cordless receiver between her shoulder and her ear.

"It's Oerbin's birthday tomorrow," Serah began tentatively. Her son was a touchy subject with Lightning, a constant reminder that Serah was a married woman with a respectable family life, and that was the way it should be.

"How-how old?" Lightning choked out around the tears.

"He'll be three."

The words slapped Lightning in the face. Three. It had been over three years that she hadn't seen Serah. She avoided any excuse to see her since she got pregnant, throwing herself into her work and trying to put Serah out of her mind, after all, she belonged to Snow now. But she hadn't realized it had been that long.

"He wants to meet you, Light"

Another stab to her heart. She'd been a terrible sister, and an even worse aunt to a nephew she'd never even bothered to meet. "Yea, I'll be there," she said, and when Serah made her repeat _cross my heart and hope to die_, Lightning let out a chuckle tinged with bittersweet emotion. "I promise."

"Thank you, Li- _Claire_,"

The Farron sisters spoke little more than idle chit-chat, enjoying the familiar timbre of each other's voice. The hour faded into to the soft grey twilight just before dawn. Lightning yawned an _mmm-hmm _to Serah's question which she had only half-heard.

"Light? Are you listening? Hello? Are you asleep?"

Lightning muttered something unintelligible into the phone. She stretched languidly, her body arching like a cat, then she settled, the phone still nestled between her ear and her shoulder as she fell further from the edge of reality into the dreamscape, to the sound of Serah's voice.

"Goodnight Lightning," Serah said softly as she hung up the phone and walked back into her bedroom.

On the couch, Lightning dreamt of the Bodhum shoreline. It was dusk. The sun settled lower in the sky, painting Serah's hair a darker tint of red. Her eyes stood out a starker blue than their usual color, matching the cerulean waves that crashed around their bare feet. Serah closed her eyes with a sigh, as Lightning bent down to kiss her. Their lips brushed, the softest touch, no tension to it at all, as if the time they had to spend together was as eternal as the endless sea.

Lightning sighed, her lips parted slightly. The phone fell from her grasp as she shifted, landing on the carpeted floor with a soft thud.


End file.
